Zoca Flank Battery

What’s in a name? At Zoca Flank Battery, the answer is a whiff of history, a touch of Moorish heritage, and a whole lot of firepower. Zoca Flank Battery. This rather unusual name originates from the Moorish word “soko,” meaning marketplace. Imagine this area bustling with vendors and the aroma of spices, not gunpowder. This very spot hosted a meat market. The complaints about the smell eventually led to the butchery being relocated. The market itself lingered, leaving its mark in the nearby Market Lane. Zoca Flank Battery wasn’t always a battery. It began as a humble bastion nestled between the more imposing Orange and King’s Bastions. Long before the British, during Gibraltar’s Moorish period, a tower stood here, a sentinel on the old city wall. In 1627, under Spanish rule, the tower was reduced. By the time of the Great Siege (1779-1783), it had evolved into a broad platform housing an artillery battery. A 1627 drawing by Luis Bravo de Acuna captures its Spanish-era appearance. John Drinkwater’s account of the Great Siege depicts its rebuilt form. The battery saw significant upgrades between 1877 and 1879. A hefty 12.5-inch rifled muzzle-loading (RML) gun was installed within a protective casemate, shielded by a formidable “Gibraltar Shield.” Similar guns were positioned at King’s Bastion and Wellington Front. The line of defense shifted during the battery’s construction, moving from the Line Wall Curtain to Prince Albert’s Front. Today, an underground garage occupies the space between. However, remnants of the original round tower can still be seen, a ghostly reminder of Zoca’s layered past. During World War II, Zoca Flank Battery played a different role. The Anti-Aircraft Searchlight from King’s Bastion was relocated here, accompanied by a Gun Laying Radar. Fast forward to 1969. The Catholic Community Centre was built atop the battery, obscuring the historical structure below. The 12.5-inch gun was removed from its mounting and placed nearby. In 2010, plans were announced to demolish the community centre and unveil the battery once more, a move celebrated by the Gibraltar Heritage Trust. So, as you stand before Zoca Flank Battery, remember its journey. From a Moorish marketplace to a military stronghold, it embodies Gibraltar’s rich and complex history.